If you want to get a secret out of ISU place kicker Bret Culbertson, just line him up a game-winning kick.

Minutes after Culbertson knocked through his fifth – and game winning – field goal against Iowa on Sept. 15, Culbertson blurted out news of his wife Kristina’s pregnancy.

“I honestly don’t know [what I’m going to do tonight]. go home to my wife,” Culbertson said after the game. “She’s pregnant by the way. I don’t even know if a lot of people know that.”

Not exactly a quiet way to announce things – in front of dozens of reporters and television cameras.

“[The news] just kind of got out slowly,” Culbertson said. “I didn’t scream it out or anything, people just slowly found out and then I announced it on TV.”

Kickoff specialist and holder for Culbertson’s field goal attempts Josh Griebahn was one of a couple current Cyclone football players that attended Culbertson’s May wedding, and one of the first to hear the news. Griebahn said it’s still a pretty good secret.

“[The news] was kind of a secret between us and the specials,” Griebahn said. “He kind of told us and not a lot of the rest of team. I don’t even know if a lot of the team still knows.”

Griebahn said the hush-hush attitude was in line with Culbertson’s personality.

“It’s not surprising,” Griebahn said. “He’s a really nice guy. He’s a very humble, very intelligent, just an overall good friend.”

Culbertson said the news was kept quiet early on to make sure the couple’s baby avoided any early complications, and then he just let a few people know, not wanting to be the center of attention.

“We didn’t want to let the cat out of the bag right away in case something bad happened . but I can’t remember who I told first,” Culbertson said.

“I think I told [Matt] Purvis first and then maybe [Mike] Brandtner or Griebahn.”

Even after Culbertson single-handedly outscored Iowa, accounting for all of the Cyclones’ 15 points, true to his nature, he still didn’t want to be carried off the field.

“At first I didn’t want to go up,” Culbertson said. “I wanted the focus to be on the team.”

Sometimes though, Culbertson can’t help attracting attention to himself. Exhibit A may be how he met his wife Kristina.

Culbertson said he met her through their older sisters who thought they should be set up, but when Bret and Kristina were finally introduced, Kristina was taken.

“Her older sister and my older sister were best friends through college and they always wanted us to get together,” Culbertson said. “The first time I met her, I think she had a boyfriend at the time, but I don’t know, I waited my turn, I guess.”

And while he may have had to wait, Culbertson said his friendship with Kristina, a Gilbert native, just grew until the two were married in Ames last May.

Culbertson said the couple attends church at Cornerstone Methodist Church in Ames and their faith is one of the things they will be relying on as their baby’s due date of April 1 approaches.

“It’s in God’s plan and he’s going to provide, so that’s how we know we can handle it,” Culbertson said. “We’re excited and can’t wait. She’s going to be a great mom. That’s what she wants to do is be a mom.”

The couple will find out the sex of the baby in the near future.

Both Griebahn and coach Gene Chizik said they can easily see how Bret will make a great father. Chizik said you can tell just from the way Culbertson has handled himself throughout his career at Iowa State that he will be a success as a dad.

“Bret’s a great guy and he’ll be a great dad. He’ll be a great everything for their child and I’m really happy for them,” Chizik said.

“He’s got a lot of integrity. He’s a great young man, a great Christian man and he’ll do well the rest of his life because he has that in him.”